Tag: Torquepower Parts

It’s not known exactly when, but the first diesel engine that Clessie Cummins saw was probably in 1917 or 1918, and likely made under license from the R.M. Hvid (pronounced Veed) Company. In the early 20th century, a Dutch man named Jan Brons invented a four-cycle, compression-ignition engine and was granted a European patent in 1907. The Brons engine did not use pressurized injection, which would prove to be a technical barrier for practical diesels.

Using that engine as a basis, an American named Rasmus Martin Hvid in 1915 patented an “oil injection device” and a “hydrocarbon engine governor.” The first engines built under those patents were made by the Hercules Engine Company of Evansville, Indiana and marketed by Sears-Roebuck for stationary use under the Thermoil brand.

Hvid licensed others, including Cummins, to handle any production needs that couldn’t be handled by Hercules. By then William Irwin was an official with the U.S. Department of Commerce, which may have helped in securing the license. Intellectual property in hand, with $10,000 from Irwin, Clessie Cummins incorporated the Cummins Engine Company in Columbus, Indiana in 1919.

Cummins produced its first licensed diesel engine, an 8-horsepower stationary unit, the following year. They didn’t sell many, but it brought in enough revenue to stay in business. Cummins worked on improving the performance of the Hvid engine, simultaneously working on his own original diesel designs.

It was a roller-coaster startup, with Sears initially ordering thousands of engines, only to return many of them and cancelling the remaining order. Cummins company lore puts the blame on cheap farmers, who bought the engines, used them for a season, then returned them for refunds. A more likely reason is that the Hvid Thermoil engines just didn’t work very well. That’s evidenced by other historical data and by the fact that Clessie Cummins diligently worked to improve them.

With thanks, Ronnie Schreiber, The Truth About Cars.

Torquepower, working hard for 40 years to support the owners and operators of Cummins powered equipment right across Australia and the South Pacific. https://www.torquepower.com.au/

The Invictus Games in Sydney was mind blowing” says para-athlete Steve Fell. “Toronto was my first Invictus Games so it was special, but there were even more teams competing this time, including athletes from non-English speaking countries, like Jordan, Georgia, Estonia, as well as Canada, the USA and Great Britain. Pictured – Steve wears a Canadian Invictus Games shirt, in the spirit of celebration and comradeship, shirts were swapped, and friendships forged.

Steve and his team-mate won their first round of wheelchair tennis, and were subsequently beaten by the USA as Steve’s companion became unwell, going down with pneumonia. Steve then swam the freestyle leg in the 50 metre relay final. The swim teams are made up of two wheelchair athletes and two able bodied swimmers. Steve is proud to have been the last athlete to exit the pool on the last day ! He helped win the first wheelchair basketball game against Canada, and played for a bronze medal against the English team, but they were too good on the day.

“I’m really happy with how I played, and how we all interacted and encouraged each other. Four athletes from each nation were chosen to meet Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, and I was one of them ! The highlight for me was watching all of the Australians compete, as a wheelchair basketball nation we have improved so much. The Homebush stadium in Sydney is great for wheelchair athletes and I was really pleased to try out the new OGO Segway-like wheelchair. It’s a NZ invention, and for half a day I got to fly around in it ! I’d love to have one of them one day !

“I was tired, and my pelvis and back hurt, but the only real injury was to my pride ! I was so involved watching the athletes at one point, my wheelchair toppled over, and 6 top policemen picked me up ! “, he laughs, “ but some good sleep, and now I’m back into it. ”

You can see Steve in his custom built Snap On Truck most days in the Archerfield area. Torquepower is proud to help Steve with Cummins parts and to be a part of his fan club ! Torquepower, celebrating 40 years – 170 Beatty Road, Archerfield 0732778277

Russell Grant spent 22 years retailing floor coverings before he came to Torquepower. “ I had to know service. It’s not easy running a small business. I had to understand stock control and cash flow, and practical, sensible approaches to overcoming problems. We had to be accurate and we needed to despatch products in the most protective and cost-effective way. In short, if a customer wasn’t happy, I had to fix it. “

“Here at Torquepower, I pick parts, communicate with transport companies in despatch, carry out parts deliveries and photograph a huge range of parts for our online store. The difference with a smaller business, like mine and Torquepower, is that a family-business mentality keeps people caring better than elsewhere.

We don’t look for someone to blame, we do think about things. We become aware of an issue, we fix it, and we ensure it doesn’t happen again.”

“What I like most about Torquepower, is that we really do support each other and communicate and work together for good solutions. Everyone here has looked after me very well, by finding diverse tasks for me to do, that fits my experience. It’s great !

Supplier of Genuine Cummins Spare Parts since 1978
Working hard for You – The better we buy, the LESS you pay !

Torquepower ex-Army Clement is a warehouse hero. Clement ( Poly) Poland, and his 6 siblings were born in Perth and grew up with an Army Engineer Dad . A mechanical kid, Clement would bush-drive old Falcons and then fix engine parts and panels . He attended Star of the Sea and Colby Catholic Colleges , and left at year 10 to attend TAFE to Fast Track senior subjects so he could join the army.

An Army Reserve member since the year 2000, Clem was a mechanical operator and forklift driver for private companies, and joined the ARA ( Australia Regular Army) as a transport driver . He drove Mercedes Benz, Unimog’s, 1980 Mack 3 axle R series , Mann and Fleetliner trucks, and learnt Bulk Fuel operations and dangerous goods.

Overseas in Iraq in 2006 and 2007, Clement was a protection party driver on the huge Taleel US Army Base for the Tour de Force troop entertainment and morale group . Other duties included driving 13,000 litre diesel fuel tankers distances in Iraq to refuel army units outside the base. Ferrying fuel through “Ambush Alley” kept things interesting, and he enjoyed the camaraderie and mateship.

In the years following, Clement was posted in Sydney, and his first daughter born in 2008. He made a family decision and left the Army in 2009, but stayed in the Reserves till 2012. Since then, Clement gathered a raft of skills driving trucks and supervising warehouses for big West Australian companies, and for Hastings Deering Caterpillar in Mount Isa. A family training organisation was grown many times over with Clement as international business development, and sales and operations management.

Now as Torquepower Warehouse Supervisor, Clement enjoys a smaller family business . “ Workers are well looked after and get the resources they need to do a good job. What I like best about Torquepower is that it is a family-oriented close-knit and family-run group. There is an increased desire to get everything correct for the customer, which means for me parts need to be spot on location-wise . My goal is to make the warehouse flow. A very definitive location saves everybody time and improves productivity.”

“As a family, with three awesome kids; we enjoy fishing, four wheel driving and camping. I still like to keep up the Army fitness with running and gym, and the kids keep me fit ! “

For sale – in very good condition and good working order. We purchased it new in 2013. Current recommended retail price is around $2,600. It works well but was undersized for our workshop, so we have recently upgraded.

Specifications;

Pilot K25/21 Industrial 147L 5.5HP 3 Phase Industrial Air Compressor

Model: K25/21 Industrial

Purchased new 2013

Now $800 ONO

Contact ;

Call Andrew Lawrence to organise inspection 0732778277, or see us at 170 Beatty Road, ARCHERFIELD

www.torquepower.com

Design;

The Three Phase Industrial” series is Pilot Air’s premium cast iron range of air compressors suitable for heavy duty industrial use.

Reliability;

The “Three Phase Industrial” Series has high quality and oversized componentry to give the air compressor longer, trouble free life with less wear and tear.

Features;

Features include T.E.F.C. 415V/50HZ (Three phase) motors on all models with overload protection. Models K25 through K100 are two stage compressors and offer aftercooler and intercooler design to increase efficiency and provide higher pressure capabilities. All Receivers are AS1210 approved

The Australian Government will deliver almost $20 million to upgrade and widen 24.8 kilometres of the Landsborough Highway, north of Longreach, Queensland.

Federal Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Darren Chester said the project aims to improve safety for road users between Longreach and Winton on the highway.

“The Landsborough Highway is the main north-south route serving western Queensland, and I’ve seen for myself the poor condition of sections between Longreach and Winton, with an ageing surface and a number of safety issues,” Mr Chester said.

“The Australian Government’s commitment to addressing these issues is just one way Queensland will reap the benefits of our record $75 billion investment in infrastructure nationwide, which is aimed squarely at helping unlock the potential of our regions in particular.”

Federal Member for Maranoa David Littleproud said the works would support the region’s economy and communities.

“These upgrades are an investment in the productivity and prosperity of western Queensland communities by building stronger road surfaces, wider lanes and better flood immunity—particularly at Dingo Creek and other low-level crossings,” Mr Littleproud said.

“Freight traffic is forecast to double on this route, which makes these works critical to the future success of the grazing and resources industries and the safe and efficient movement of freight.

“The industries of northern Australia, including those in western Queensland, contribute billions to our national economy, and investing in these key arterial roads means they’ll be able to continue developing—creating jobs in our regions and cities, and fostering new and emerging industries for generations to come.

Works are expected to be completed on the joint Australian and Queensland government-funding project by mid-2020.

Torquepower’s international field service team conducted a midlife overhaul on two Cummins K38 – V12 engines in Noumea.

A tropical French enclave, New Caledonia is located in the second biggest coral reef in the world 1500 kms east of Australia in the heart of the South Pacific, and is made up of four archipelagos and 33 islands.

The Laura III is a 2300 tonne cargo vessel that flies a New Caledonia Flag and has a home port in beautiful Noumea. Built in 2009, the vessel is a drive-on, drive-off island trader which freights containers, cars and trucks between the islands.

Specification wise, Laura III is a Heavy Load Carrier with a length of 78.1m and a beam of 16m. She draws just 3 metres and has recorded a maximum speed of 14 knots.

As you read this, Laura III is likely to be steaming along at 10 knots in a pleasant 23 degrees between the islands, powered by 2 impressive Cummins K38 engines each producing 1350HP.

But last week all was quiet as the Torquepower service team flew out from Brisbane to carry out a 6000 hour mid-life service on the engines in the vessel’s home port. The Tahitian crew had organised a scheduled shut down for just a week so the pressure was on!

Says Michael Mercer, one of Torquepower specialist technicians: “ The midlife service had us replacing turbos, water pumps, fuel pumps and injectors. We carried out a full overhead adjustment for each engine, replaced thermostats, resealed the heat exchangers, replaced hoses and supplied fresh engine fluids.
The engines were really well presented and their condition was a credit to the engineers on board the Laura III. We were able to commission each engine following the works but we couldn’t carry out a sea trial because of the sheer size of the boat.”

“It was hot and muggy at around 36 degrees with 100% humidity. We drank eighteen 1.5 litre bottles of water in 4 days . Yes, we would have liked to jump in the water to cool off, but with a big fish works at the nearby Port, diving crews had lookouts for tiger sharks to protect the antifouling crew. We had great help from both the Chief Engineer and Second Engineer, they were cluey; there was a bit of a language barrier both ways but we were able to work around that without a problem.“

“From what we could see there are three ports in Noumea, one for Cruise ships, one for freight and shipping and one for the nearby Nickel Mines. We worked 7am till 6pm, long days, but when we were waiting for a heat exchanger to arrive, we had a quick dip in Anse Veta Bay. “

A local company antifouled and repainted the hull and blasted the bilge tanks while the Torquepower team completed the work on the engines. They were ably assisted by the crew (pictured ) Ghislain Drayton ( Superintendent); Norbert Natua ( Head Engineer) ; Karl Kaimukpo ( Cheif Mate); Bob Tearaimoana (2ndEngineer ); Sylvain Uedre ( 3rd Engineer) and Manava Paepaetaata ( Oiler ).
Torquepower Workshop Manager Carl Bickle, who also travelled over to assist with the repairs adds: “They really were a great bunch of guys to work with. It was a difficult job, but with a big engine room and a genuinely helpful crew, the work was made easier than it would otherwise have been.

The highlight for me was definitely the start-up; after some long hot days, the engines ran sweetly and I knew we were good to go home. “
https://www.torquepower.com.au/field-service/ 0732778277 170 Beatty Road, ARCHERFIELD AUSTRALIA

Industry has been invited to express interest in $64.8 million Perth interchange project – the third and final upgrade to Wanneroo Road in Perth’s north – the Wanneroo Road-Ocean Reef Road interchange project

The works will require design and construction of a bridge at the Wanneroo Road and Ocean Reef Road intersection, traffic signalised on and off ramps, drainage improvements and the realignment of paths and pedestrian crossing points.

The project forms part of the $2.3 billion Federal-State infrastructure package, which supports 17 new projects around Western Australia.

The previous works on Wanneroo Road include the widening of Wanneroo Road to Flynn Drive, which is under construction, and the upgrade of the Wanneroo Road and Joondalup Drive intersection, which is currently in the planning phase.

Western Australian Minister for Transport Rita Saffioti said the three upgrades to Wanneroo Road will be integral to the growing northern suburbs communities.

Road test of a heavy duty truck powered by the new Cummins Westport CWI 12L Near Zero engine at the Ports in California, shows outstanding performance on the Grapevine while hauling a full load!

The ISL G Near Zero (NZ) NOx natural gas engine is the first MidRange engine in North America to receive emission certifications from both the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Air Resources Board (ARB) in California for meeting the 0.02 g/bhp-hr optional Near Zero NOx Emissions standards for medium-duty truck, urban bus, school bus, and refuse applications.

The game-changing Cummins Westport ISL G NZ exhaust emissions are 90% lower than the current EPA NOx limit of 0.2 g/bhp-hr. The ISL G NZ also meets the 2017 EPA greenhouse gas emission requirements with a 9% GHG reduction from the current ISL G.

Like the industry leading ISL G engine, the ISL G Near Zero operates on 100% natural gas which can be carried on the vehicle in either compressed (CNG) or liquefied (LNG) form. The ISL G Near Zero can also run on renewable natural gas (RNG).

The price of diesel goes up a little bit and immediately LNG and all that gas comes back into the reckoning. The margins in road transport are so slim, only a small incremental change can tip the balance between fuel options.

While carbon emission reduction is a major talking point in Europe, it is barely on the horizon here in Australia. The apparent impasse in Canberra in developing any kind of viable carbon reduction scheme, means truck operators here are not looking to reduce carbon emissions to reduce costs.

However, this is not stopping some operators from having a go. Currently, there are two trucks, a Kenworth T403 and a Volvo FH540, working in a major resources hauling fleet with a bespoke gas and diesel mix system researching the cost, carbon and particulates reduction implications.

The only driver for reduced carbon engines is the corporate decisions made by some of the multinational giants operating here to reduce their carbon emissions globally, including Australia. We will not expect any major changes in the economics around reduced carbon footprint until a clear policy framework evolves.

Another driver for change in Europe and North America is the production of methane gas from renewable sources, biogas. This has the ability to drastically cut carbon emissions up to 100 per cent.

In the US the next round of emissions control are all about carbon footprint reduction. There are also even stronger restrictions in areas around the Ports of LosAngeles and Long Beach, incentivising transport businesses to look at alternatives like electric and LNG power. As a result engines like this Cummins Westport 12 litre are being trialled in many fleets.

The New South Wales Government is exploring the possibilities of autonomous trucks with freight movements expected to double across metropolitan areas and by up to 25 per cent in the bush by 2056, according to a report from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).

Transport Minister Andrew Constance has reportedly unveiled a regional transport plan at Ballina that would suggest that driverless freight trucks could be a common sight on New South Wales roads in the future.

“Certainly in terms of safety, first and foremost, it will be a big change,” said Constance. “And we are working to make sure that with the advent of autonomous vehicles, particularly in the bush, we do actually look at what’s required in an infrastructure sense.” Roads Minister Melinda Pavey reportedly told the ABC that she would prefer autonomous vehicle trials to be conducted in regional New South Wales.

“That is the area that is probably weaker in our road safety statistics and we want to see that improved,” said Ms. Pavey. “And it is vital that regional communities are part of it and we are not scared about how it’s going to change things because it’s going to make the roads safer.”
She reportedly said the state introduced legislation in the past few months so it could be ready for this change.

“Our officials are watching what’s happening throughout the world,” said Ms. Pavey. “We want to be part of it, we don’t want to make it complicated if anybody wants to come in and bring autonomous vehicle technology that’s going to make it safer on our roads.

“It’s contrary to our own instincts to think it would be safe without a driver behind the wheel but we must remember that 94 per cent of all accidents involve human error and if we can harness the latest technology, we can actually save lives and drive the road toll down,” she said.

The ABC has said that the concept contained in the draft regional transport plan will be open for community comment until 3 December.